


Extra-Curriculars

by immen_sity



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Drabble, Established Relationship, F/M, Ficlet, Fluff, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:13:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27719366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/immen_sity/pseuds/immen_sity
Summary: Rita Calhoun hosts Olivia for dinner at her place and reveals some interesting information about Rafael's time at Harvard.
Relationships: Rafael Barba & Olivia Benson, Rafael Barba & Rita Calhoun, Rafael Barba/Olivia Benson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 62





	Extra-Curriculars

**Author's Note:**

> i've been on a writing roll, so here's more drabble/fluff from me! (i'll try something different soon, i promise.) and singing Barba returns!

"I can't believe you still have a VHS player."

Rita carefully inserted the tape into the slot and crossed her fingers that it still played after over 20 years. Her "Harvard" box in her media closet didn't often get opened, but what better time for it to make a re-appearance when Olivia Benson - now girlfriend of Rita's closest friend at Harvard - was over for dinner.

The machine took half a minute to whir back to life, until a fuzzy - but still unmistakable - video appeared on the screen. "You're in for a treat."

"You make it sound like Rafael was a professional stripper or something."

"No, this is _better_ ," Rita smirked.

* * *

Olivia never considered herself a friend of Rita Calhoun's. They'd met a lot in court and occasionally in social settings, but Olivia couldn't lie that she was a little intimidated by Rita. She was a defense attorney, after all, with a razor-sharp tongue and a death glare that rivalled Barba's. But she was one of Rafael's closest friends from his Harvard days, and now that Olivia was dating him _and_ Rita was suspiciously "close friends" with Fin, she saw no harm in getting to know her outside the courthouse. Hence she found herself in Rita's palatial Upper East Side abode, its living room bigger than Olivia's entire apartment.

Rafael had called to say that he'd be late - he was stuck in his office preparing an especially stubborn witness to take the stand - but promised to make it for drinks and dessert. Olivia was worried that the meal would be as lavish - and quite frankly, intimidating - as the interior of the apartment, but found herself pleasantly surprised by the quality of Rita's zucchini lasagne (low-carb and vegetarian) and homemade garlic bread. She was even more pleasantly surprised when she realised that the fierce Counselor Calhoun facade hid a warm, friendly and chatty woman she wouldn't mind having as a friend. Stylish, to boot.

In Rafael's absence, the topic of conversation wandered to his and Rita's days at Harvard. Olivia learned that they'd met in their sophomore year; Rita a History major, Rafael in English. "I actually never _saw_ him read a book, but he was 80% literary references back in the day."

Olivia chuckled. "Sounds like the Rafa I know."

"It's a wonder how he had time to study when he spent all his time in the music practice rooms. Son of a bitch still graduated summa cum laude."

"Music practice rooms? What instrument did he play?" This was the first she was hearing of it.

Rita cocked an eyebrow. She looked genuinely surprised. "Rafael didn't tell you?"

"No, he didn't say anything to me."

"You mean you've been with Rafael for five whole months and he's been hiding this from you? Good God. You need to see it for yourself."

"Please don't tell me he did something horrible."

"Nothing horrible. Just hilarious. To me, at least."

Rita put down her wine glass and got up from her seat. Olivia followed her across the room. "I'm sure I still have evidence on VHS." She opened her gigantic media closet and pulled out a clearly marked "Harvard" box filled with tapes. "Spring of junior year. Student recital. I helped film this. Try not to laugh, Lieutenant."

"I can't believe you still have a VHS player," Olivia said.

"You're in for a treat."

"You make it sound like Rafael was a professional stripper or something." Rafael had _never_ mentioned his musical pursuits to her, although she knew he was a Broadway fan.

"No, this is _better_."

Olivia tried to make sense of the somewhat fuzzy image on Rita's high-definition TV screen. It looked like a fancy concert hall - they probably had those in abundance at Harvard - packed with students. "Next up in our Spring Recital..." a voice that Olivia assumed was the emcee boomed over the surround-sound speakers, "the a cappella group we all know and love, the Harvard Treblemakers!" Roaring applause filled the room and a group of about 15 students made their way on stage. Olivia was no stranger to college a cappella and didn't comment when they launched into a very enthusiastic rendition of a song that sounded a lot like _Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go_.

"What's so interesting about this?"

Rita turned to her with a smirk. "You'll see."

A male vocalist in a neon pink jacket and white cargo pants leapt out of the line of singers. He moved with a swagger that was almost comedic - or maybe intentionally so, as she deduced from the roar of laughter from the raucous audience. It felt like a bad 80s movie musical, with all the pelvis shaking and bad mullets. He sounded _amazing_ , but the performance was cheesy as hell.

_You put the boom boom into my heart_

_You send my soul sky high when your lovin' starts_

That voice. _God, that voice sounds familiar._

She must've looked shocked, because Rita teased, "Recognise that voice now?"

"Is that really him? He wouldn't be caught dead doing that today. What the hell are those dance moves?!"

"And this is the only performance I have on tape."

"There's more?!"

"I can't believe he's never brought it up. Rafael was the biggest theatre nerd at Harvard. Everyone on campus knew he was one hell of a singer and actor."

Olivia's eyes widened. "Everyone?"

"Oh, yes. He was Sweeney Todd in _Sweeney Todd_. Marius in _Les Miserables_. Did Shakespeare plays every summer. Sang in this a cappella group and all the spring recitals. That's how we became close friends actually; we recognised each other from the dorms, but talked more only when I helped backstage at all these shows. We all thought he was going to drama school after, but he decided to just casually show up in law school and bulldoze all of us."

Olivia looked at the screen more closely. It was indeed her Rafael - twenty pounds lighter with longer, more unkempt hair and an outfit that he'd probably burn if he saw it today, but with the same swagger and extreme self-confidence he always showed in court. "Look, I kept a few playbills from that time." Rita rummaged through the box for a _Sweeney Todd_ flyer that looked surprisingly professional for a group of college students. Olivia flipped to the "Cast and Characters" page and sure enough, there it was printed in bold.

**Rafael Barba as Sweeney Todd**

_Rafael is a sophomore studying English. An aspiring actor born and raised in New York City, his other theater credits include the fall production of Les Miserables (Marius) and Sebastian in Twelfth Night. He also sings in the Harvard Treblemakers._

"I can't believe he's _never_ mentioned any of this to me. We went to watch _Phantom of the Opera_ recently and he never even hinted that he once had Broadway ambitions."

"I can't believe he hasn't told you either. When he gets here we're going to confront him about this until he tells you the truth," Rita said menacingly. Olivia chuckled - Rita sounded exactly like she did in court.

They were interrupted by the doorbell. "Speak of the devil..." Rita muttered as she let Rafael in.

Olivia turned her eyes back to the screen and slowly hit the "Increase Volume" button on the remote. The Treblemakers had just wrapped up _Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go_ , and 20-year old Rafael was now leading them in an equally cheesy cover of _Safety Dance_. Rafael kicked off his shoes and jacket at the door, not paying attention to the screen, until he listened to what was coming out of Rita's speakers and froze. "Is that..."

"Something you want to tell me, Counselor?" Olivia's lips curled into a smirk when Rafael laid his eyes on the 80s monstrosity on screen.

"Calhoun... what have you done?"

Rita shrugged her shoulders. "Just telling your girlfriend," emphasising the _girlfriend_ , "about your _interesting_ extra-curriculars, Barba. I'm going to get us some dessert and wine. Better start talking... unless you want me to tell her about the time you missed your cue and fell off the stage?"

Olivia gasped. "Rafael! Is that true?"

Rafael groaned. "God, Rita. Can't believe you'd sell me out like that."

"There's a lot more where that came from," she winked before ducking into the kitchen to retrieve the panna cottas from the fridge.

"So, when were you going to tell me about your almost-career as a stage star, huh?"

His cheeks turned a deep red. It was unusual of him to be this embarrassed, this flustered. "It was a long time ago."

"I'll sign you up to perform at the SVU Christmas party."

"I don't sing in front of people anymore, Liv."

"The least you can do is re-enact that... _interesting_ Wham cover for me."

"I'll think about it."

"I'll hold you to that."

Olivia made a mental note to sneakily change his phone alarm to _Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go_ when they got home.


End file.
